The Internet of Things (Part 5)

IoT Security System and data security should be of utmost importance to any professional engineer who designs devices for the Internet of Things (IoT). This month Bob looks at security issues related to the IoT and what embedded systems designers can do to secure their devices. Topics Covered How design for the Internet of ThingsWhat is the danger of open Wi-Fi ports?How to best use authentication and passwords in IoTHow to keep remote software updates secureWhat is the importance of data bus protect in CAN bus for example? Tech Discussed The Internet of ThingsIoT securityAuthentication and passwordsWi-FiRemote updates This morning, my wife and I were talking with a friend and his wife about the Internet of Things (IoT). I know. I know. Aren’t there better things to talk about on a beautiful day with dear friends? But I am a techie, and since you are reading this article, so are you. My friend said that he couldn’t see any reason to have his refrigerator or his toilet connected to the Internet. When I, with my impeccable techie logic, persuasively convinced him of the reason why refrigerators and toilets will connect to the Internet, he responded by saying that he would not allow such devices into his home because of security issues. Touché! The way things are right now in the infancy of the IoT, he is correct. We, the designers of the IoT devices have a lot to learn about security. Over the next couple of months, we will look at some of the ways the security of existing IoT devices has been compromised so that we can get better at this. In July of 2015, many of us shuddered when we read about the Jeep Cherokee that could be controlled remotely by a hacker. Admittedly these weren’t every day hackers: they were working on a grant to attempt to demonstrate security holes in the automotive industry. These two men, Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek, hacked into a Jeep with the driver's permission to demonstrate a series of massive sec